Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee by Thy word: ‘Be, and it is.’"

O Shaykh! We had seized the reins of authority by the power of God and His
Divine might, as He alone can seize, Who is the Mighty, the Strong. None had the
power to stir up mischief or sedition. Now, however, as they have failed to
appreciate this loving-kindness and these bounties, they have been, and will be,
afflicted with the retribution which their acts must entail. The State
officials, considering the secret progress of the Extended Cord have, from every
direction, incited and aided Mine adversaries. In the Great City
(Constantinople) they have roused a considerable number of people to oppose this
Wronged One. Things have come to such a pass that the officials in that city
have acted in a manner which hath brought shame to both the government and the
people. A distinguished siyyid, whose well-known integrity, acceptable conduct,
and commercial reputation, were recognized by the majority of fair-minded men,
and who was regarded by all as a highly honored merchant, once visited Beirut.
In view of his friendship for this Wronged One they telegraphed the Persian
Dragoman informing him that this siyyid, assisted by his servant, had stolen a
sum of money and other things and gone to Akka. Their design in this matter was
to dishonor this Wronged One. And yet, far be it from the people of this country
to allow themselves to be deflected, by these unseemly tales, from the straight
path of uprightness and truth. Briefly, they have assaulted Me from every side,
and are reinforcing Mine adversaries. This Wronged One, however, beseecheth the
one true God to graciously assist every one in that which beseemeth these days.

Day and night I fix My gaze on these perspicuous words, and recite: "O God,
my God! I beseech Thee by the sun of Thy grace, and the sea of Thy knowledge,
and the heaven of Thy justice, to aid them that have denied Thee to confess, and
such as have turned aside from Thee to return, and those who have calumniated
Thee to be just and fair-minded. Assist them, O my Lord, to return unto Thee,
and to repent before the door of Thy grace. Powerful art Thou to do what Thou
willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all that is in the heavens and all
that is on earth. Praise be unto God, the Lord of the worlds."

The time is at hand when whatsoever lieth hid in the souls and hearts of men
will be disclosed. This Day is the Day whereof Luqman spoke unto his son, the
Day which the Lord of Glory announced and with which He acquainted Him Who was
His Friend (Muhammad) through these, His words-exalted be He:--"O my son!
Verily, God will bring everything to light, though it were but the weight of a
grain of mustard-seed, and hidden in a rock or in the heavens or in the earth;
for God is Subtile, informed of all." This Day the deceitful of eye, and all
that men’s breasts conceal, are made known and laid bare before the throne of
His Revelation. Nothing whatsoever can escape His knowledge. He heareth and
seeth, and He, in truth, is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing. How very strange
that they discern not between the trustworthy and the treacherous!

Would that His Majesty the Shah of Persia-may God perpetuate his
sovereignty-would inquire from the Consuls of the honored Persian Government who
have been in this country, that he might become acquainted with the activities
and behavior of this Wronged One. Briefly, they have incited a great many such
as Akhtar and others, and are busying themselves in spreading calumnies. It is
clear and evident that they will surround with their swords of hatred and their
shafts of enmity the one whom they know to be an outcast among men and to have
been banished from one country to another. This is not the first time that such
iniquity hath been perpetrated, nor the first goblet that hath been dashed to
the ground, nor the first veil that hath been rent in twain in the path of God,
the Lord of the worlds. This Wronged One, however, remained calm and silent in
the Most Great Prison, busying Himself with His own affairs, and completely
detached from all else but God. Iniquity waxed so grievous that the pens of the
world are powerless to record it.

In this connection it is necessary to mention the following occurrence, that
haply men may take fast hold of the cord of justice and truthfulness. Haji
Shaykh Muhammad Ali-upon him be the glory of God, the Ever-Abiding-was a
merchant of high repute, well-known unto most of the inhabitants of the Great
City (Constantinople). Not long ago, when the Persian Embassy in Constantinople
was secretly engaged in stirring up mischief, it was noticed that this believing
and sincere soul was greatly distressed. Finally, one night he threw himself
into the sea, but was rescued by some passers-by who chanced to come upon him at
that moment. His act was widely commented upon and given varied interpretations
by different people. Following this, one night he repaired to a mosque, and, as
reported by the guardian of that place, kept vigil the whole night, and was
occupied until the morning in offering, ardently and with tearful eyes, his
prayers and supplications.

Upon hearing him suddenly cease his devotions, the guardian went to him, and
found that he had already surrendered his soul. An empty bottle was found by his
side, indicating that he had poisoned himself. Briefly, the guardian, while
greatly astonished, broke the news to the people. It was found out that he had
left two testaments. In the first he recognized and confessed the unity of God,
that His Exalted Being had neither peer nor equal, and that His Essence was
exalted above all praise, all glorification and description. He also testified
to the Revelation of the Prophets and the holy ones, and recognized what had
been written down in the Books of God, the Lord of all men. On another page, in
which he had set down a prayer, he wrote these words in conclusion: "This
servant and the loved ones of God are perplexed. On the one hand the Pen of the
Most High hath forbidden all men to engage in sedition, contention or conflict,
and on the other that same Pen hath sent down these most sublime words: ‘Should
anyone, in the presence of the Manifestation, discover an evil intention on the
part of any soul, he must not oppose him, but must leave him to God.’
Considering that on the one hand this binding command is clear and firmly
established, and that on the other calumnies, beyond human strength to bear or
endure, have been uttered, this servant hath chosen to commit this most grievous
sin. I turn suppliantly unto the ocean of God’s bounty and the heaven of Divine
mercy, and hope that He will blot out with the pen of His grace and
bounteousness the misdeeds of this servant. Though my transgressions be
manifold, and unnumbered my evildoings, yet do I cleave tenaciously to the cord
of His bounty, and cling unto the hem of His generosity. God is witness, and
they that are nigh unto His Threshold know full well, that this servant could
not bear to hear the tales related by the perfidious. I, therefore, have
committed this act. If He chastise me, He verily is to be praised for what He
doeth; and if He forgive me, His behest shall be obeyed."

Ponder, now, O Shaykh, the influence of the word of God, that haply thou
mayest turn from the left hand of idle fancy unto the right hand of certitude.

This Wronged One hath never acted hypocritically towards any one, in the
Cause of God, and hath loudly proclaimed the Word of God before the face of His
creatures. Let him who wisheth turn thereunto, and let him who wisheth turn
aside. If these things, however, that are so clear, so manifest and indubitable,
be denied, what else can be deemed acceptable and worthy of credence in the
estimation of men of insight? We beseech God-blessed and glorified be He-to
forgive the aforementioned person (Haji Shaykh Muhammad-‘Ali), and change his
evil deeds into good ones. He, verily, is the All-Powerful, the Almighty, the
All-Bounteous.

Such things have appeared in this Revelation that there is no recourse for
either the exponents of science and knowledge or the manifestations of justice
and equity other than to recognize them. It is incumbent upon thee, in this day,
to arise with celestial power and dissipate, with the aid of knowledge, the
doubts of the peoples of the world, so that all men may be sanctified, and
direct their steps towards the Most Great Ocean and cleave fast unto that which
God hath purposed.

Every one who hath turned aside from Me hath clung to his own idle words, and
therewith voiced his objections to Him Who is the Truth. Gracious God! Such
references as have been made to Divinity and Godhead by the holy ones and chosen
ones of God have been made a cause for denial and repudiation.

The Imam Sadiq hath said: "Servitude is a substance, the essence of which is
Divinity." The Commander of the Faithful (Imam Ali) answered an Arab, who had
questioned him concerning the soul, as follows: "The third is the soul which is
divine and celestial. It is a divine energy, a substance, simple, and
self-subsistent." And further he-peace be upon him-said: "Therefore it is the
Most Sublime Essence of God, the Tree of Blessedness, the Lote-Tree beyond which
there is no passing, the Garden of Repose." The Imam Sadiq hath said: "When our
Qa’im will arise, the earth will shine with the light of her Lord." Likewise, a
lengthy tradition is attributed to Abi-‘Abdi’llah-peace be upon him-in which
these sublime words are found:

"Thereupon will He Who is the All-Compelling-exalted and glorified be
He-descend from the clouds with the angels." And in the mighty Qur’an: "What can
such expect but that God should come down to them overshadowed with clouds?" And
in the tradition of Mufaddal it is said: "The Qa’im will lean His back against
the Sanctuary, and will stretch forth His hand, and lo, it shall be snow-white
but unhurt. And He shall say: ‘This is the hand of God, the right hand of God,
that cometh from God, at the command of God!’" In whichever manner these
traditions are interpreted, in that same manner let them also interpret that
which the Most Sublime Pen hath set down. The Commander of the Faithful (Imam
Ali) hath said: "I am He Who can neither be named, nor described." And likewise
He hath said: "Outwardly I am an Imam; inwardly I am the Unseen, the
Unknowable."

Abu-Ja’far-i-Tusi hath said: "I said to Abi Abdi’llah: ‘You are the Way
mentioned in the Book of God, and you are the Impost, and you are the
Pilgrimage.’ He replied: ‘O man! We are the Way mentioned in the Book of
God,--exalted and glorified be He-and We are the Impost, and We are the Fast,
and We are the Pilgrimage, and We are the Sacred Month, and We are the Sacred
City, and We are the Kaaba of God, and We are the Qiblih of God, and We are the
Face of God.’" Jabir hath said that Abu-Ja’far-peace be upon him-spoke to him as
follows: "O Jabir! Give heed unto the Bayan (Exposition) and the Ma’ani
(Significances)." He peace be upon him-added: "As to the Bayan, it consisteth in
thy recognition of God-glorified be He-as the One Who hath no equal, and in thy
adoration of Him, and in thy refusal to join partners with Him. As to the
Ma’ani, We are its meaning, and its side, and its hand, and its tongue, and its
cause, and its command, and its knowledge, and its right. If We wish for
something, it is God Who wisheth it, and He desireth that which We desire."
Moreover, the Commander of the Faithful (Imam Ali)--peace be upon him-hath said:
"How can I worship a Lord Whom I have not seen?" And, in another connection, he
saith: "Nothing have I perceived except that I perceived God before it, God
after it, or God with it."

O Shaykh! Ponder upon the things which have been mentioned, perchance thou
mayest quaff the Sealed Wine through the power of the name of Him Who is the
Self-Subsisting, and obtain that which no one is capable of comprehending. Gird
up the loins of endeavor, and direct thyself towards the Most Sublime Kingdom,
that haply thou mayest perceive, as they descend upon Me, the breaths of
Revelation and inspiration, and attain thereunto. Verily, I say: The Cause of
God hath never had, nor hath it now, any peer or equal. Rend asunder the veils
of idle fancies. He, in truth, will reinforce thee, and assist thee, as a token
of His grace. He, verily, is the Strong, the All-Subduing, the Almighty. While
there is yet time, and the blessed Lote-Tree is still calling aloud amongst men,
suffer not thyself to be deprived. Place thy trust in God, and commit thine
affairs unto Him, and enter then the Most Great Prison, that thou mayest hear
what no ear hath ever heard, and gaze on that which no eye hath ever seen. After
such an exposition, can there remain any room for doubt? Nay, by God, Who
standeth over His Cause! In truth I say: On this day the blessed words "But He
is the Apostle of God, and the Seal of the Prophets" have found their
consummation in the verse "The day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of
the worlds." Render thou thanksgiving unto God, for so great a bounty.

O Shaykh! The breezes of Revelation can never be confounded with other
breezes. Now the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing standeth laden with
countless fruits before thy face; besmirch not thyself with idle fancies, as
have done the people aforetime. These utterances themselves proclaim the true
nature of the Faith of God. He it is Who witnesseth unto all things. To
demonstrate the truth of His Revelation He hath not been, nor is He, dependent
upon any one. Well nigh a hundred volumes of luminous verses and perspicuous
words have already been sent down from the heaven of the will of Him Who is the
Revealer of signs, and are available unto all. It is for thee to direct thyself
towards the Ultimate Goal, and the Supreme End, and the Most Sublime Pinnacle,
that thou mayest hear and behold what hath been revealed by God, the Lord of the
worlds.

Ponder a while upon the verses concerning the Divine Presence, which have
been sent down in the Qur’an by Him Who is the Lord of the kingdom of names,
perchance thou mayest discover the Straight Path, and be made an instrument for
the guidance of His creatures. Such a one as thou must needs in this day arise
to serve this Cause. The abasement of this Wronged One as well as thy glory
shall both pass away. Strive thou, that haply thou mayest achieve a deed the
fragrance of which shall never fade from the earth. Concerning the Divine
Presence there hath been sent down what no denier hath been or is now able to
refute or repudiate. He-blessed and exalted be He-saith: "It is God Who hath
reared the heavens without pillars thou canst behold;

then mounted His throne, and imposed laws on the sun and moon: each traveleth
to its appointed goal. He ordereth all things. He maketh His signs clear, that
ye may have firm faith in the Presence of your Lord." He also saith: "To him who
hopeth to attain the Presence of God, the set time of God will surely come. And
He is the Hearer, the Knower." And further He-exalted be He-saith: "As for those
who believe not in the signs of God, or that they shall ever attain His
Presence, these of My mercy shall despair, and these doth a grievous
chastisement await." And likewise He saith: "And they say, ‘What! when we shall
have lain hidden in the earth, shall we become a new creation?’ Yea, they deny
that they shall attain the Presence of their Lord." And likewise He saith: "They
truly doubt the Presence of their Lord. He, verily, overshadoweth all things."
And likewise He saith: "Verily, they who hope not to attain Our Presence, and
find their satisfaction in this world’s life, and rest on it, and who of Our
signs are heedless-these! their abode the fire, in recompense of their deeds!"
And likewise He saith: "But when Our clear signs are recited to them, they who
look not forward to attain Our Presence, say, ‘Bring a different Qur’an from
this, or make some change in it.’ Say: It is not for Me to change it as Mine own
soul prompteth. I follow only what is revealed to Me: verily, I fear, if I rebel
against My Lord, the punishment of a great day." And likewise He saith: "Then
gave We the Book to Moses-complete for Him who should do right, and a decision
for all matters, and a guidance, and a mercy, that they might believe in the
Presence of their Lord." And likewise he saith: "They are those who believe not
in the signs of the Lord, or that they shall ever attain His Presence. Vain,
therefore, are their works; and no weight will We allow them on the Day of
Resurrection. This shall be their reward-Hell. Because they were unbelievers,
and treated My signs and My Apostles with scorn." And likewise He saith: "Hath
the history of Moses reached thee? When He saw a fire, and said to His family,
‘Tarry ye here, for I perceive a fire; haply I may bring you a brand from it, or
find at the fire a guide.’ And when He came to it, He was called to, ‘O Moses!
Verily, I am Thy Lord; therefore pull off Thy shoes, for Thou art in the holy
vale of Towa. And I have chosen Thee; hearken then to what shall be revealed.
Verily, I am God, there is no God but Me. Therefore, worship Me.’" And likewise
He saith: "Have they not considered within themselves that God hath not created
the heavens and the earth and all that is between them but for a serious end,
and for a fixed term? But truly most men believe not that they shall attain the
Presence of their Lord." And likewise He saith: "What!

Have they no thought that they shall be raised again for the Great Day, the
Day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds?" And likewise He
saith: "We heretofore gave the Book to Moses. Have thou no doubt as to His
attaining Our Presence." And He saith: "Aye! But when the earth shall be crushed
with crushing, crushing, and thy Lord shall come and the angels rank on rank."
And likewise He saith: "Fain would they put out the light of God with their
mouths! But though the infidels hate it, God will perfect His light." And
likewise He saith: "And when Moses had fulfilled the term, and was journeying
with His family, He perceived a fire on the mountain side. He said to His
family: ‘Wait ye, for I perceive a fire, haply I may bring you tidings from it,
or a brand from the fire to warm you.’ And when He came up to it, a Voice cried
to Him out of the Bush from the right side of the Vale in the sacred Spot: ‘O
Moses, I truly am God, the Lord of the worlds!’"

In all the Divine Books the promise of the Divine Presence hath been
explicitly recorded. By this Presence is meant the Presence of Him Who is the
Dayspring of the signs, and the Dawning-Place of the clear tokens, and the
Manifestation of the Excellent Names, and the Source of the attributes, of the
true God, exalted be His glory. God in His Essence and in His own Self hath ever
been unseen, inaccessible, and unknowable. By Presence, therefore, is meant the
Presence of the One Who is His Vicegerent amongst men. He, moreover, hath never
had, nor hath He, any peer or likeness. For were He to have any peer or
likeness, how could it then be demonstrated that His being is exalted above, and
His essence sanctified from, all comparison and likeness? Briefly, there hath
been revealed in the Kitab-i-Iqan (Book of Certitude) concerning the Presence
and Revelation of God that which will suffice the fair-minded. We beseech
Him-exalted be He-to aid every one to become the essence of truthfulness, and to
draw nigh unto Him. He, verily, is the Lord of strength and power. No God is
there but Him, the All-Hearing, the Lord of Utterance, the Almighty, the
All-Praised.

O thou who art reputed for thy learning! Bid men to do that which is
praiseworthy, and be not of such as tarry. Observe thou with a keen eye. The Sun
of Truth shineth resplendently, at the bidding of the Lord of the kingdom of
utterance, and the King of the heaven of knowledge, above the horizon of the
prison-city of Akka. Repudiation hath not veiled it, and ten thousand hosts
arrayed against it were powerless to withhold it from shining. Thou canst excuse
thyself no longer. Either thou must recognize it, or-God forbid-arise and deny
all the Prophets!

Reflect, O Shaykh, upon the Shi’ih sect. How many the edifices which they
reared with the hands of idle fancies and vain imaginings, and how numerous the
cities which they built! At length those vain imaginings were converted into
bullets and aimed at Him Who is the Prince of the world. Not one single soul
among the leaders of that sect acknowledged Him in the Day of His Revelation!
Whenever His blessed name was mentioned, all would say:

"May God hasten the joy His coming will bring!" On the day of the Revelation
of that Sun of Truth, however, all, as hath been observed, have exclaimed,
saying: "May God hasten His chastisement!" He Who was the Essence of being and
Lord of the seen and unseen they suspended, and committed what made the Tablet
to weep, and the Pen to groan, and the cries of the sincere to break forth, and
the tears of the favored ones to flow.

Meditate, O Shaykh, and be fair in what thou sayest. The followers of
Shaykh-i-Ahsa’i (Shaykh Ahmad) have, by the aid of God, apprehended that which
was veiled from the comprehension of others, and of which they remained
deprived. Briefly, in every age and century differences have arisen in the days
of the manifestation of the Daysprings of Revelation, and the Dawning-Places of
inspiration, and the Repositories of Divine knowledge, differences which have
been caused and provoked by lying and impious souls. To expatiate on this is not
permissible. Thou art thyself better acquainted and more familiar with the idle
fancies of the superstitious and the vain imaginings of the doubters.

In this day, this Wronged One requesteth thee and the other divines who have
drunk of the cup of the knowledge of God, and are illumined by the shining words
of the Daystar of Justice, to appoint some person, without informing any one,
and despatch him to these regions, and enable him to remain a while in the
island of Cyprus, and associate with Mirza Yahya, perchance he may become aware
of the fundamentals of this Faith and of the source of the Divine laws and
commandments.

Wert thou to ponder a while, thou wouldst bear witness unto the wisdom, and
the power, and the sovereignty of God, exalted be His glory. The few who were
unaware of this Cause, and had not met Us, have spoken in such a manner that all
things, and those souls who are well assured, pleased, and pleasing unto God,
have testified unto the imposture of these heedless ones. Wert thou now to exert
thyself, the truth of this Cause would be made apparent unto mankind, and the
people would be delivered from this grievous and oppressive darkness. Who else
but Baha can speak forth before the face of men, and who else but He can have
the power to pronounce that which He was bidden by God, the Lord of Hosts?

This heedless one hath now clung to the practice of Rawdih-khani (traditional
lamentation for the Imam Husayn). He-I swear by God-is in evident error. For it
is the belief of this people that during the Revelation of the Qa’im, the
Imams-may the peace of God be upon them-have arisen from their sepulchres. This
verily is the truth, and no doubt is there about it. We beseech God to bestow
upon the superstitious a portion of the living waters of certitude which are
streaming from the wellspring of the Most Sublime Pen, that all may attain unto
that which becometh these days.

O Shaykh! While hemmed in by tribulations this Wronged One is occupied in
setting down these words. On every side the flame of oppression and tyranny can
be discerned. On the one hand, tidings have reached Us that Our loved ones have
been arrested in the land of Ta (Tihran) and this notwithstanding that the sun,
and the moon, and the land, and the sea all testify that this people are adorned
with the adornment of fidelity, and have clung and will cling to naught except
that which can ensure the exaltation of the government, and the maintenance of
order within the nation, and the tranquillity of the people.

O Shaykh! We have time and again stated that for a number of years We have
extended Our aid unto His Majesty the Shah. For years no untoward incident hath
occurred in Persia. The reins of the stirrers of sedition among various sects
were held firmly in the grasp of power. None hath transgressed his limits. By
God! This people have never been, nor are they now, inclined to mischief. Their
hearts are illumined with the light of the fear of God, and adorned with the
adornment of His love. Their concern hath ever been and now is for the
betterment of the world. Their purpose is to obliterate differences, and quench
the flame of hatred and enmity, so that the whole earth may come to be viewed as
one country.

On the other hand, the officials of the Persian Embassy in the Great City
(Constantinople) are energetically and assiduously seeking to exterminate these
wronged ones. They desire one thing, and God desireth another. Consider now what
hath befallen the trusted ones of God in every land. At one time they have been
accused of theft and larceny; at another they have been calumniated in a manner
without parallel in this world. Answer thou fairly. What could be the results
and consequences, in foreign countries, of the accusation of theft brought by
the Persian Embassy against its own subjects? If this Wronged One was ashamed,
it was not because of the humiliation it brought this servant, but rather
because of the shame of its becoming known to the Ambassadors of foreign
countries how incompetent and lacking in understanding are several eminent
officials of the Persian Embassy. "Flingest thou thy calumnies into the face of
Them Whom the one true God hath made the Trustees of the treasures of His
seventh sphere?" Briefly, instead of seeking, as they should, through Him Who
occupieth this sublime station, to attain unto the most exalted ranks, and to
obtain His advice, they have exerted themselves and are striving their utmost to
put out His light. However, according to what hath been reported, His Excellency
the Ambassador Mu’inu’l-Mulk, Mirza Muhsin Khan-may God assist him-was, at that
time, absent from Constantinople. Such things have happened because it was
believed that His Majesty the Shah of Persia-may the All-Merciful assist him
--was angry with them that have attained and revolve round the Sanctuary of
Wisdom. God well knoweth and testifieth that this Wronged One hath, at all
times, been cleaving fast unto whatever would be conducive to the glory of both
the government and the people. God, verily, is sufficient Witness.

Describing the people of Baha, the Most Sublime Pen hath sent down these
words: "These, verily, are men who if they come to cities of pure gold will
consider them not; and if they meet the fairest and most comely of women will
turn aside." Thus hath it been sent down by the Most Sublime Pen for the people
of Baha, on the part of Him Who is the Counsellor, the Omniscient. In the
concluding passages of the Tablet to His Majesty the Emperor of Paris (Napoleon
III) these exalted words have been revealed: "Exultest thou over the treasures
thou dost possess, knowing they shall perish? Rejoicest thou in that thou rulest
a span of earth, when the whole world, in the estimation of the people of Baha,
is worth as much as the black in the eye of a dead ant?

Abandon it unto such as have set their affections upon it, and turn thou unto
Him Who is the Desire of the world."

God alone-exalted be His glory-is cognizant of the things which befell this
Wronged One. Every day bringeth a fresh report of stories current against Us at
the Embassy in Constantinople. Gracious God! The sole aim of their machinations
is to bring about the extermination of this servant. They are, however,
oblivious of the fact that abasement in the path of God is My true glory. In the
newspapers the following hath been recorded: "Touching the fraudulent dealings
of some of the exiles of Akka, and the excesses committed by them against
several people, etc...." Unto them who are the exponents of justice and the
daysprings of equity the intention of the writer is evident and his purpose
clear. Briefly, he arose and inflicted upon Me divers tribulations, and treated
Me with injustice and cruelty. By God! This Wronged One would not barter this
place of exile for the Most Sublime Habitation. In the estimation of men of
insight whatsoever befalleth in the path of God is manifest glory and a supreme
attainment. Already We have said: "Glory to Thee, O my God! But for the
tribulations which are sustained in Thy path, how could Thy true lovers be
recognized; and were it not for the trials which are borne for love of Thee, how
could the station of such as yearn for Thee be revealed?"

Such abasement hath been inflicted that each day they spread fresh calumnies.
This Wronged One, however, cleaveth to seemly patience. Would that His Majesty
the Shah of Persia would ask for a report of the things which befell Us in
Constantinople, that he might become fully acquainted with the true facts. O
Shah! I adjure thee by thy Lord, the God of Mercy, to look into this matter with
the eye of fairness. Is there to be found a just man who will judge in this day
according to that which God hath sent down in His Book? Where is the fair-minded
person who will equitably consider what hath been perpetrated against Us without
any clear token or proof?

O Shaykh! Ponder the behavior of men. The inmates of the cities of knowledge
and wisdom are sore perplexed asking themselves why it is that the Shi’ih sect,
which regarded itself as the most learned, the most righteous, and the most
pious of all the peoples of the world, hath turned aside in the Day of His
Revelation, and hath shown a cruelty such as hath never been experienced. It is
incumbent upon thee to reflect a while. From the inception of this sect until
the present day how great hath been the number of the divines that have
appeared, none of whom became cognizant of the nature of this Revelation. What
could have been the cause of this waywardness? Were We to mention it, their
limbs would cleave asunder. It is necessary for them to meditate, to meditate
for a thousand thousand years, that haply they may attain unto a sprinkling from
the ocean of knowledge, and discover the things whereof they are oblivious in
this day.